What Was Lost Now Is Found
by aroseisarose
Summary: Everyone has a past, now it's time for Grissom to meet his. Feedback is really encouraged! It's a sequel to Painful Confesson. Thanks again to Juliet for helping me! :^) Chapter Nine now fixed!
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I don't own CSI: or anything pertaining to it

Author's note: Since I got lots of reviews asking for Grissom to meet his daughter, here it is. Reviews are encouraged as always.

Prologue 

Catherine Willows and Nick Stokes had arrived first to the crime scene at a quarter after one in the morning. It was usually cold that night for Las Vegas in the middle of winter. Inside the abandoned warehouse, a grizzly murder awaited them. A young woman was bound to chair which was set in front of a vanity with a mirror, eyelids super glued open. Her feet were nailed to a wooden plank that was screwed to the concrete floor. She appeared to have been stabbed in the neck and allowed to bleed out. Just as Nick was getting his camera out to document the scene, Grissom and Sara pulled up in the Tahoe. 

"What do we have?" Grissom asked

"Jane Doe, approximately 25 years of age. She was stabbed in the neck. Eyelids were glued open and her feet nailed to a plank that is secured to the floor." Catherine said, trying to keep her dinner down. Usually she could control this feeling, but tonight it seemed to be overwhelming her

In total silence Gil Grissom walked around the chair, the vanity, the victim, lost in thought. Racking his brain for a connection, he found one after he had circled for the third time.

"Okay then. Nick you document the crime scene with Sara. Catherine, I need you to come with me."

"Sure, just let me get my kit out of the Tahoe." Sara threw in

"Gil, what are you thinking?" Catherine asked, walking over to the Tahoe that Sara and Grissom came in

"There were five murders that had all these calling cards in Salt Lake a few months ago."

"You think it's the same guy?"

"It's looking like it. The way that the perpetrator conducted the murder was very unique."

"So if this is the same guy, then we're going to have to have a cross-jurisdiction investigation." 

"We did it before, we can do it again."

Catherine slammed the passenger side door shut and Grissom started the motor up. The ride to the lab was a short one, only ten minutes, but the whole time Catherine couldn't let her mind ease up any. The murder was usually brutal, and a serial could be behind it. She hated serial, well she hated any murder, but serials where the ones that kept her up at night.

"Today is Lydie's birthday, Catherine."

"So it is, Valentines Day. She'll be 29 right?"

"Yeah, my daughter is 29 today." 


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: Same as last chapter.

Author's note: Next to diamonds, reviews are a girl's best friend!!

A cold breeze from the mountains started up as a woman pulled up to the Las Vegas Crime Lab that Valentines afternoon. Scurrying out of her SUV with Utah plates, the woman grabbed her purse that was lying on the passenger side seat. With a slight run, she entered the building, her hazel eyes getting dry from the wind.

_"What a way to spend my birthday. Well, it's no Hawaii, still its Vegas."_ she thought

Shaking her fiery and very curly red hair out of her knit cap, she tried to find the man that she was sent to see, a Gil Grissom. After looking a round for a few minutes a handsome man came up to her.

  "Ma'am? Can I help you?" the man said in a Texan accent

  "Yes, I'm Lydie Jameson from the Salt Lake City Crime Lab. I'd like to speak with a Gil Grissom."

"Oh, about the serial. He's office is over this way."

Just then Catherine saw Nick and the woman that was walking next to him. 

"Hey, Cath, this is Lydie Jameson from the Salt Lake Crime Lab. She wants to see Grissom."

Catherine's mind reeled trying to figure out what to do. This could be his Lydie Jameson, his daughter that he never saw? Gil needed and had the right to know that there was the possibility that he could meet his baby this very day.

"He had to go out and help Brass with something." Catherine quickly lied "He should be back in like a half hour or so."

"That's ok, Ms. Willows." Lydie said looking at Catherine's ID card.

"You want to hang out in the lounge for a few?" Nick asked

"Sure, Mr.…"

"It's just Nick."

"Okay then, I'm just Lydie."

"The lounge is this way Lydie." Nick said, starting off down the hall on the right.

"Bye." Catherine said as she headed off to Gil's office

She started to knock on the door harder than she usually did, but this was extremely urgent.

"Come in." 

Catherine nearly barged in and then as soon as she was out of the door fame, shut the door with great force it could be considered a slam.

"Catherine what happened? Are you okay? Lindsay?"

"She's here." was all she could get out

"Who's here?"

"Lydie."

"What?!"

"Tell me did Hannah have red hair and hazel eyes?"

"Yes…"

"This woman looks about thirty, she has red curly hair and hazel eyes! She said she's here from Salt Lake for the serial, and her ID looks real enough. It said Lydie A. Jameson on it!"

"This isn't supposed to be, Catherine!"

"Grissom, look at me."

Gil dutifully did as he was told, trying to get a grip. Lydie was here, right here! He'd secretly longed for this day ever since Hannah told him about their baby all those years ago at graduation.

"I have you a half hour by saying you were helping Brass. Now you have to decide how you want to approach it."

"She's my daughter Catherine, I don't know what to do. I don't even know if she knows that Hannah is her mother."

"Gil, just think about how odd this will be for her too, that is if you tell her at all. Maybe you should treat her as an associate and have a relationship that way?"

"I don't know…I just don't know."


	3. Chapter Three

Disclaimer: Nothing has changed….

Author's note: Please review; they are the highlight of my day!

Nick and Lydie walked into the lounge and sat on the rather large sofa that was placed in the corner.

"How was your drive down?" Nick began

"Long, really long. I've been up for 25 hours now, this serial has Salt Lake in a panic and we're doing are best to calm them…ever ending job."

"Where are you from? Your southern drawl is coming out more and more as we talk."

"Atlanta, well a suburb of it actually. My accent gets really thick when I'm tired or talking with other southerners, such as your self."

"I don't think that mine ever goes away…"

Lydie took her mid-back length hair and swept it over her right shoulder and started to braid it.

"Lydie, would you like coffee or something like that?"

"Do you have tea?" she asked, still braiding her hair

"I think so…" Nick started to dig through the cabinet under the sink where the coffee and filters where kept. "Ahh…here it is!" 

Lydie got up and walked over to the stove and started to put water in the kettle that sat on the upper left burner. After she had filled it with cool water and got a mug from the counter that was clean, she went back to the couch. 

"Nick, I'm just going to put my head down until the water warms up, okay?" Lydie managed to say through a yawn

"Sure, I'll tell you when it's made…"

The gentle snoring that came from the couch cut off Nick's sentence. Moving over a few feet he could see Lydie, her head on the arm rest, lying on her stomach, and hand dangling inches from the tiled floor. 

Nick left the lounge to get a blanket for Lydie just as Warrick Brown was coming in.

"Shhhhh…" Nick said pointing to Lydie's sleeping form

"Who's that?" he mouthed

"Lydie Jameson from Salt Lake. She's here to help with the murder investigation." Nick whispered back "I'm going to get her a blanket. Water is boiling for her tea, so watch it."

"Yeah, yeah."

Warrick walked over to the stove, saw that it was steaming, and turned off the burner. He really didn't want to wake the woman that was sleeping right in front of him, so he decided to just dump the water out. She looked so peaceful, and to wake her wouldn't be right.

After he got his fleece out of his locker, which is what he originally came in to the lounge to it, Warrick left the sleeping Lydie. Right outside the door was Grissom, looking through the glass to his daughter. She took his breath away, just like Hannah could all those years ago.

"Hey, Griss. What's up?"

"Is that Lydie Jameson?"

"Yeah, she's here for that murder investigation. She is also asleep, and snoring."

"Hannah snored too, her own cute little snore. I could listen to that sound forever."

"Should I wake her?"

"I don't know, Griss. She seems really out."

"I'll give her a few minutes. I need to go in there anyway. Coffee run."

"See ya around." Warrick said as he walked down the hall to the DNA lab

Grissom went to get his coffee all the while looking at Lydie. He loved her even more than he could put in to words, and now she was just feet from him. 

"_She can't ever know. She has her own life, one that I wasn't supposed to be part of." _

Sitting in the chair that was set across from the couch, Gil whispered

"Ms. Jameson?" the was no response so he said it a little louder "Ms. Jameson?"

Lydie shot up like a bolt and her eyes bugged out slightly. 

"Sorry to scare you."

"Oh, that's quite alright. My fault for falling asleep on the couch here."

"Catherine said that you were looking for me?"

"If you're Gil Grissom, than yes I am." 

"I'm Gil Grissom."

"Well I'm Lydie Jameson, but please just call me Lydie."

"So are you ready to work, Lydie?"

"My stuff is out in the SUV, so I'll be right back." Lydie said, getting on her coat and hat. Getting up and walking out the door, she sighed and let her head fall back.

Grissom knew what he had to do now.


	4. Chapter Four

Disclaimer: Still don't own CSI:…

Author's note: Reviews, diamonds; its all good!!

"Here are all the crime scene reports and photos." Lydie said, taking the documents out of the giant white folder that she brought with her

Looking at the pictures Grissom commented, "All the vics look somewhat the same."

"All long haired strawberry blonds, green eyes, five foot to five three, all weighed around one twenty."

"Are you related to a Hannah Jameson?"

"Yeah, she's my cousin. Why do you ask?"

"You look like her, that's all. We went to high school together."

"Oh, that's cool. I have to tell her next time I talk to her. Were you two close."

"You could say that…"

"Getting back on topic…"

"Of course."

"We think that he is going to strike tomorrow night. He only kills on the odd nights of the second week of the month. There has to be some logic behind that, but none of us in Salt Lake can come up with a theory that holds up perfectly."

"Perhaps it's an anniversary or something."

"We won't know until we have a suspect. There is nothing on this guy, the prints come back fine though the database."

"Hey, Grissom, Lydie." Catherine said as she entered the lounge. 

"Hi, Catherine." Lydie replied

"So, did I miss anything?"

"Not really. Lydie and I were just going over how the killer kills on certain days."

"The vics were nailed to the floor before they were killed just like their eyes were glued open before he stabbed their neck."

"He wanted them to see their death and be tortured beforehand." Catherine observed  

"It's just they way the perp works. Really must have something against women to go through the whole pre killing ritual."

"Could it be cult related?" 

"We doubt it. Still a slight possibility though. I mean a whole cult wouldn't pick up and go to a new city just to get a new vic, would they?"

"Might be. Still we should check it out."

"Sara and Nick can work on that." Catherine suggested

"I'll go tell them." Grissom said as he got up

"Okay."

"See ya around, Gil." Lydie put in

"Yeah."

"_So this is how you are, darling daughter. I have always loved you, from the very day that you were born; you just never knew it. Hannah loves you too, more than you'll ever know Lydie. I want to tell you so much that what was lost now is found, but I can't. You have your father and mother, and your happy. I want you to be happy, Lydie. Hannah and I love you; we just couldn't raise you… I've always been there; you just never realized it. You've been the reason to get up in the morning, and throw myself in to the evidence. It doesn't lie, unlike the lie that I gave you.  Forgive me, Lydie, forgive me!!"_


	5. Chapter Five

Gil Grissom had been sitting on the edge of his couch looking at the phone for almost twenty minutes. Lydie had given him Hannah's number, and Gil was still trying to get his thoughts together. Usually he knew what he needed to say, but he found it very hard to talk to the woman he was going to marry all those years ago. Finally after getting up the last bit of courage, Grissom dialed the number. After it began to ring, he couldn't wait to hear Hannah's voice, the voice that he use to say came from an angel.

"Hello?" a female voice answered

"Hannah Jameson?"

"Yes… Who is this?"

"You tell me Hannah Banana."

"Oh my -----. Gil?!

Grissom just had to smile to him self. He could just picture Hannah pulling at her hair, just like she did all those years ago when she got excited.

"Yep, it's me."

"How did you…"

"How did I get your number?"

"Yeah."

"What you aren't happy that I called?" Grissom's voice was starting to get a tone of panic in it

"Yeah! Why wouldn't I be? I was just curious how you got my number, I mean I have it as unlisted."

"I got it from…"

"Who?" Hannah asked concerned. The Gil that she knew and loved with every thing that she could love someone with wasn't like that. He was lively and was always brave for her.

"Lydie."

"Our Lydie? How, Love?" 

Love was Hannah's pet name for Gil, just like he called her Hannah Banana. She hadn't called anyone that since that day he told her that she was being sent away to have Lydie.

"Well, I'm a Crime Scene Analyst in Las Vegas now. There was a crime that fit the pattern of a serial killer in Salt Lake City. Lydie was the one who was sent down to help us."

"How did you know that it was our Lydie?"

"Her ID said 'Lydie A. Jameson." Besides she is just as beautiful as you were, and I'm positive, still are."

"That is insane, Love. I mean how one in a quadrillion of a chance this is."

"She doesn't know that I'm her father. All she knows is that me and you knew each other when."

"So what are you going to do? I mean she doesn't know that I'm her mother."

"I guess nothing then, Hannah Banana. I want to so much it breaks my heart not to tell her. I love her so much, I've always loved her."

"So, Love, what have you been up to?"

Grissom just laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"In the last thirty years I've done a lot."

"Okay then, we'll start with the basics. Married?"

"Nope, you?"

"How could I? I never fell out of love with you."

"I love you more now than I never did, Hannah."

"Any kids?"

"Lydie."

"Dumb question on my part I guess." Hannah said though her cute giggle, the one that hadn't changed in all those years and Gil still loved.

"So, what would you say if I said that I wanted to see you?"

"I'd say when is the next flight to Sin City."

"You can catch a red eye flight out of Boston, no?

"I'll be there by eight tomorrow night."

"Ado, Hannah Banana."

"I love you too."

Hannah hung up the phone and ran to get packed for her impromptu flight. Gil, all those miles away, sat back on the sofa, and smiled. His Hannah was coming to see him.


	6. Chapter Six

Disclaimer: Still don't own CSI:

Author's note: Hey, if anyone wants to get me Nick for Christmas I'd be one happy camper… J

Grissom took a personal day at the lab that night. Hannah was coming to his townhouse, and he wanted to make sure that everything was prefect for her. He was in the kitchen making Hannah's favorite dinner, vegetarian lasagna. Grissom figured that it was safe bet since that it was her absolute favorite all those years ago. 

Just as he put it in the oven, his cell rang. With a tone of mild irritation he answered.

"Grissom."

"Hey, its Lydie."

"Oh, hi."

"There is something odd that came up in the crime scene from last night."

"What's that?"

"A toenail."

"Run it for DNA."

"We did."

"So why did you call me."

"You're so not going to believe me, but it's from a liger."

 "A half tiger, half lion?"

"You got it. We're running all the zoo's in the Las Vegas Metro area and the Salt Lake Metro area."

"I'll be in early next shift to go over the results with you."

"Okay then."

"Good night."

" 'Night Grissom."

He turned off his cell totally against his better judgment, but at that moment he really didn't care what the repercussions were. Just as he sat it on the desk he had set up in his study, the doorbell rang. Taking deep breaths he walked over to the door.

"Hey, Love." Hannah said as Gil opened the door

"Hannah! Come in, please."

"Thanks, because I honestly planned on staying out on your porch for a few days."

"You still haven't lost your sense of humor, have you?"

"And you still don't appreciate it." Hannah said, putting her bags by the door and taking off her pea coat.

"I guess not."

"I love your place."

"Well for the next while it's yours too."

"I didn't know where you wanted to sleep so I didn't get that ready."

Hannah smiled a quirky half smile.

"What?"

"Nothing, Love, nothing."

"You, you look amazing, Hannah Banana."

"Well you don't look half bad yourself."

"I made your favorite."

"Veggie lasagna?"

Grissom nodded his head.

"I can't believe that you remember that I love that!"

"Well, how could I forget anything about you?"

"I don't know."

"Well take a seat at the table. It smells like it's done."

Hannah and Grissom sat down to a wonderful meal and good conversation. They tried to catch up on the past thirty years, but they kept getting lost in each other. Gil just wanted to touch her to make sure that this whole thing wasn't a dream, a phantom of what he truly wanted. Hannah missed the man that forever touched her, and altered her existence; she missed more than she could ever miss anyone or anything. She was lucky, she could see Lydie grow up, and was able to be part of her life.

After dinner was cleaned up, Gil and Hannah sat down on the couch that was in the living room. 

"Hannah, I don't know how I could have ever let you go like that."

"We were eighteen, Gil. I mean could we really have made it? You couldn't have gone to university to become an investigator. I wouldn't have been able to become a wedding planner. Maybe it was for the best." Hannah said leaning into Grissom, he putting his arms around her

"We could have made it, Hannah. I know it."

"Too late now, isn't?"

"I have something for you." Grissom said getting up

He went into his bedroom and dug around in the little box that he kept of all the important things that made up his life. In the bottom corner, be found what he was looking for.

"Hannah," he said sitting back with his beloved "I saved this for almost thirty years now, and I think that its time I gave it to you."

He handed her the little navy velvet box, and when she opened it, she gasped. Inside was an opal ring that had two little diamonds on the side of it.

"You were going to propose to me?" she whispered

"I was going to ask you to run off with me, and it would just be the two of us."

" I had no idea, Love. If I knew I would have gone were ever you would have taken me." Hannah said as he slipped the ring on her wedding ring finger

 "Life throws you curves, we dodge, we swerve, but we go on." 

Grissom leaned in and kissed her. Her lips were still so soft and warm, and everything that he remembered. She started to cry tears of devotion and love.

"I never thought that I would get to kiss you again, Love."

"Me either, and this time, I'm not letting you go."

"I won't let you, Gil. I just couldn't."


	7. Chapter Seven

Disclaimer: I don't own CSI:, nor am I making any monies off of this fic.

Author's note: Please review! Sorry this is so short. Holiday madness…

Gil woke up that next morning, Hannah next to him. Very carefully he rolled over and propped himself up on his hand. Hannah was still dressed in the shirt and jeans that she wore the night before. All the memories that he had tried to forget came rushing back to him. The way she snored a cute little snore, the way that her hair fell over her face, all the little things that made him go crazy. 

When they were going out, Hannah would tell her mother that she was going over to her friend Elise's house. She got Elise to say that she really was there, and no one would ever know the difference because both her mother and father worked the night shift at the hospital. Since Gil's mom was deaf, she couldn't hear her son and his girlfriend in his basement room. 

As the morning light poured into the bedroom, Hannah started to stir. She moved so that her face was facing Gil, and opened her eyes.

"Hey, Hannah Banana."

"Well, this brings back memories, now doesn't?"

"I was just thinking about that actually."

"So what happened last night? I honestly can't remember. I thought you were going to sleep on the couch"

"A little to much chardonnay?"

"Something like that." she sighed, rubbing her temples

"Well you said that you were tired, so I gave you my bed. You didn't want to change or something, so you just collapsed on the bed. I was about to leave you, and then you told me that you wanted me to stay with you until you fell asleep. I guess that I fell asleep too."

"It's nice waking up with you again."

"Hannah, tell me something."

"Sure, Love."

"Why didn't you ever get married?"

"Simple answer to that one. I couldn't imagine being married to anyone else but you. When I got sent away, I just figured that you went off to university and met some wonderful woman. Then you two got married and had a family. So tell me why you never got married. You are quite the catch Mr. Grissom"

" I just didn't feel right about it. I mean the love of my life was out there somewhere, my daughter was out there somewhere, and had no clue what happened to them. I didn't want to have something that the both of you might not have had."

"Funny how all of us never married. I mean Lydie was always a loner. She gets out every once and a while, but she defiantly didn't act how we acted."

"We were loners in our own sense." 

"I guess so."

"I bought stuff for your favorite breakfast."

"Eggs Benedict?"

"Yeah."

"Did I tell you that you are the most wonderful man that I have ever known, or ever will know?"

"Hannah, do you think that this is really to good to be true?"

"No, Love. We're together, and for now that's all that matters. I love you, I always have, and I always will."

Gil just smiled, closed his eyes and sighed. This was his second chance, and he refused to tell it pass him by.   
  


  
  



	8. Chapter Eight

Disclaimer: Nothing new…the 'gang' still isn't mine.

Author's note: Please, pretty please, review! This is going to be the last update for a bit, but I will post again in a week or so. Until then, ado.

Grissom was sitting in his office, doing research on a new variety of locust that was recently discovered in the Australian Outback. Lydie walked into Grissom's office, red curls bouncing with each step, with a sheet of paper that had the makes off all the people who had contact with a liger in the west.

"Grissom," She said taking a seat across from the desk "This is the lit of all people who have come into contact with a lifer in the last six months."

Gil picked up the list and examined it's contents. There were only five manes, and two of those were female at the last crime scene make blood was found underneath he victim's fingernails. That left the list at three, and the significance of the liger was baffling my father and daughter.

"Lydie, how many ligers are there now?"

"One, in a university outside of Austin."

"All five work with the animal."

"Yeah…"

"Okay. I need you call up the Austin police and see if any murders fit the serial that we are dealing with,"

"Sure, I'll get right on it."

Lydie got up and took the list with her. While going to Nick's office to make the call, as now they were sharing the space, Catherine came up to Gil.

"Hey Grissom."

"Oh, hi." He said absent-mindedly

"What's wrong?"

"Hannah Laurel Jameson is back in my life."

"Is that bad?"

"I'm not 18 anymore Catherine. I mean this is a second chance, and I don't want to let it slip away."

"This is going to be a personal question."

"I don't mind. You already know how much I trust you."

"Have you ever, before now, considered looking Hannah up? Getting to know her again?"

"That's two questions, but I digress. Everyone and awhile I consider looking for her or getting a P.I. to track her down."

"This is your second chance Gil. Most people don't get a second chance. Don't let this slip by. Please, for you, for Hannah, for Lydie."

"I gave her the ring that I bought for her. I was surprised when it still fit her."

"Did she like it?"

"Yeah, she told me that she would have married me."

"So, did you decide to tell Lydie?"

"She doesn't even know that Hannah is here."

"Well, whatever you decide to do, I'm here to listen."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Lydie was getting transferred form department to department when Mick came him. She had thought that he was classically handsome, and his kindness made her that much more attracted to him.

"Hey Lydie. How's it going?"

"Slow!" she mouthed, listening to yet another voice mail. "Hello, this is Lydie Jameson from the Salt Lake City Crime Lab. There is a case that I'm working that might evolve your cooperation, Please contact the Las Vegas Crime Lab where I am working this case. Good day."

"Well, hopefully they'll call back."

"Yeah. This lifer connection is bugging me."

"Lydie, would you like to go and get some dinner?"

"That sounds wonderful. I'd love to see the city."

"Is tonight okay?"

"Sure. The thing is, I don't have anything formal to wear, so where ever we go can't be that fancy."

"That's fine. I know just the place."

"Thanks Nick."

"For what?"

"Taking interest in me. Usually I'm the odd one out."

"You're a wonderfully beautiful woman, Lydie. However that doesn't even come close to describing how good of a person you are. Don't ever forget that."

"I won't."

"Good."

"So I'll see you at…"

"Seven."

"Seven it is then."

Nick flashed one of his smiles that caused Lydie's walls to fall a bit, and then he was gone.

"Seven it is!" Lydie whispered to herself, smiling


	9. Chapter Nine

Lydie was sitting at the hotel's bar when Nick came. She had tried her best to look nice, but she hadn't really brought any outfits that would be date worthy. She also couldn't bring herself to spend money on a dress that wasn't necessary. Lydie was very careful with her money, and seeing that she already had a nice winter dress, she saw no need to go and buy one just for tonight. Lydie decided on a red, black, and tan geometric print skirt that just went to her knee and a tan colored sweater. However, since she thought of her hair as her best feature she took special care in making the long braid that went down her back. 

When Nick entered the bar, he was looking for the same girl who had fallen asleep on the couch in the break room. Instead he found an elegant woman. When Lydie saw her date, she got up from the stool that she was sitting on and made her way over to him. 

"Hi, Nick."

Nick was unable to answer; he had gone back into teenager mode. He couldn't seem to find the words, before he knew what he was saying he blurted out:

"You're gorgeous."

"Well thank you. You don't look half bad yourself."

"I…I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's fine, really. So where are we going?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

"Fine, be like that." Lydie replied, sticking her tongue out playfully ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hannah and Gil were sitting in his living room, the lights turned off. They used to do that when they were teenagers. They were on the sofa, a blanket shared between them. 

"Gil…"

"Yes?"

"I was thinking about something."

"What?"

"I don't want to go to back home. I want to stay here, with you."

"Hannah,"

"Listen. I think it can work out. I'd have to take a job here until I could find a wedding planner position. Maybe I could work at the library like I did when we were in school."

"Is this what you really want?"

"Every time I have a spare moment, I let my mind wander to what it would be like if we were together. I had almost given up hope on ever seeing you again. I want this, I want to be with you."

"I want to be with you too. I don't want us to loose each other again."

"We're not eighteen anymore, we can make it happen."

"City Hall opens at eight tomorrow…" Gil said, fingering the edge of the blanket that they were laying under

"Are you insinuating what I think you're insinuating?"

"What do you think that I'm insinuating?"

"That I, Hannah Jameson, after decades of hoping and longing, will be officially Hannah Grissom?"

"Exactly." He said, pushing Hannah's hair out of her face so he could see her better

"That's not much of a proposal."

"Better than what I would have said at commencement."

"What would you have said?"

"Wanna get married or something?"

Hannah, just like she used to do in high school when her boyfriend said something dopey, hit him lightly on the shoulder, causing both of them to laugh. 


	10. Chapter Ten

Hannah got up from Gil's bed that night. As quietly as she could, Hannah got dressed. She then put the rest of her clothes in her bag. Her heart hurt her, but she had learned over the years to trust her mind over her heart. It was easier that way. Less mess, less pain, things were more black and white

She then went into the study to get paper and a pencil. Sitting down in Gil's chair she started writing.

_Dearest Gil,    _

_I guess that is my "Dear John" to you. I hate to do this to you. Please understand why I'm doing this._

_Ever since we were freshman in that dank old high school, I wanted to be with you. When you asked me out to Homecoming, I never thought I could have been happier. Well I was proven wrong, I was always happy when I was with you._

_We grew together; we loved each other, we had a baby together. When you I thought only with my heart, I based my life off of you, us. Funny isn't it, how when I was 18 I would jump at the chance to love you forever as your wife, but as an adult, I'm not sure about anything?_

_When I had to give up Lydie, I stopped thinking with my heart, it become too hard to do so. Now I can just think with my mind, and only my mind. The emotions are simpler; the motions of like are easier to go through. When you called me and said the name you gave me, I started to think with my heart again._

_Last night, laying in you arms, I realized something; I've let myself feel again. The reason why I ever found someone was because I was afraid to love. I love you, but at the same time I'm so scared, for all those years I've had this idea of what it would be life being together, growing old together. Now that is a reality, I'm running from it like a little girl. The little girl that you asked out to her first dance, the little girl that you gave her first kiss, the little girl who gave you a daughter._

_Please forgive me. Last time I wrote you a letter, I left you with nothing, and I'm not going to do that this time. I love you; I've loved you since I was 14 years old. I've loved you ever since I knew of Price Charming. _

_I just realized that this is the second real letter than I ever wrote to you (notes in junior history class don't count). The first time it was the last contact we had until last week. Maybe it was best that way, I don't know. I love you forever; I love you always._

_                                                                                                     HLJ_

Hannah then tore the piece of paper off the block and but it back in the door. She then grabbed the scissors that were lying there. Slowly lifting her hair Hannah found a suitable lock to cut of. With one fluid motion she freed the stands from the base of her head. Hannah then took off the ring, the very ring that was supposed to be her's all that time ago. Taking the hair, she threaded it through the ring and tied it on a loose knot. 

Taking both the letter and the ring to the bedroom, Hannah inhaled deeply; she wanted to remember his scent until they met again.  She placed the items on her pillow. Gil was still sleeping, a little smile on his face, the dawn's first light starting to play with his features. 

With a soft kiss Hannah picked up her bag and left the room. As she walked to the door a tear began to fall. Before the door to the townhouse was shut, her single tear was now a waterfall of tears.


	11. Chapter Eleven

Grissom rolled over; his eyes still closed, and draped his arm over what the thought was Hannah's torso. Instead his arm fell on to icy cold sheets. Slowly opening his eyes, he was met with Hannah's hair, his ring, and a piece of paper. Grissom knew what the meaning of it was; Hannah had left him. There was no real reason to read the letter, but he did anyway. Maybe there was a glimmer of hope, but instead he found a good-bye from the woman that he had given his heart to.

The note, the ring, the hair; to Grissom the symbolism was completely and utterly obvious. When they were teenagers, and she had to sneak back to either her friends' house or her own, she would always leave a little note for him. Her hair, oh, how he loved her hair. If he had his way, he would run his hands thought it all the time. Finally, the ring; her leaving the ring was the final sign of rejection. She was gone for good.

Grissom didn't know what to do. Crying, well he just didn't cry. Sitting up he just stared at the pillow for what seemed to him a little eternity. Coming back to reality, he picked up the phone and dialed Catherine's number.

"Hello?" Lindsay answered

"Hi, kiddo. It's me, Grissom."

"Hi! I'll go get Mom."

"Thanks, Kiddo."

Grissom heard the child set the phone down on the table that was not three feet from where the portable was kept. After a few seconds Catherine came on.

"Hey, what's up?"

"She's gone."

"Who? Lydie?"

"Hannah."

"Oh, Gil."

"She was here when we went to sleep and this morning, she was gone. She left a letter, a lock of her hair, and the ring that I gave her."

"Do you want me to come over?"

"No, but you can give me the airline's number? I'm going to catch a flight out East."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Nick! Nick!" Lydie whispered urgently

Nick's eyes opened and he knew. Lydie was sitting up next to him in his bed, the blanket drawn tight around her body. He himself was undressed and barely covered by a sheet

"Oh, God..."

"I have to go NIck."

"Lydie..."

Lydie started to get out of bed, but then she remembered that she was nude, and she really didn't want Nick to see her like that.

"Close your eyes." she said, and as soon as he did so, she got out of the bed and started to get dressed.

"Nick, I know that the line right about now is 'I don't normally do this.' Honestly though, you're the third guy that I've been with, ever. I don't mix work with pleasure, trust me on this one."

"Lydie, it's okay."

"No, it isn't. I'm not loose, I'm not they type who has one night stands. I'm not saying that you are either, but I...I'm ashamed of what happened last night."

"Can I open my eyes now?"

"Sure." Lydie said, pulling on her top

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen."

"Well, the case is almost solved, you can take it from where it's at. I'm going to catch a flight today, go back home. Please though, I need to ask you something before I go."

"Anything."

"Please don't remember me as loose or trampy. Please remember me as the woman who was smart, and put a killer behind bars, a woman who knew what she was doing, a woman with self-respect."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Good bye, Nick." Lydie said, putting on her coat

"So this is it?" Nick asked as Lydie was opening the door to the cold Vegas air

"Yeah, I guess so."

With that she shut the door and started walking down the street. She had no clue where she was going, but she needed to get out from where she was. She needed to go home.

Nick sat in his bed, and whispered:

"I love you Lydie."


End file.
